Her Auggie
by RMBlythe
Summary: Auggie is always coming to Annie's rescue. He's the angel in her ear. But what happens when Auggie needs Annie? Upon her return to D.C., Annie receives some distressing news about her Auggie. It's her turn to take care of him.


_**Annie always needs Auggie to save her. But he can't be Superman all the time. This time, Auggie needs Annie. Might be slightly OOC. Just something random I thought up because, let's face it, this couple is a-Freaking-dorable! And Auggie... well, Auggie needs some lovin'. Anyways, read and review. (Don't own, of course)**_

_Her Auggie_

August Anderson shook his head, attempting to clear the sleepy fog from his mind. He had to stay awake and alert. She may need him. She'd been gone for two days, and he supposed that was how long it'd been since he slept last. Or eaten anything. Really, he was just running on coffee and sheer determination. As long as Annie was out there, he'd be here. The angel in her ear, he'd once overheard her say. An angel? Not likely. In her ear? Always.

He coughed harshly into his fist. In his attempt to draw air into his lungs, he didn't hear the clicking of heels entering his office. Joan Campbell frowned when she saw him. Her best tech operative was known for his intense work ethic, especially when a certain agent was in the field. She didn't blame him though. Annie's latest mission wasn't without it's risks, and it had been hours since she'd last made contact. But Joan was also worried about Auggie. He was far too pale, and that cough he'd developed was concerning. Before he even had a chance to anticipate her movements, she had a hand placed against his forehead. He jerked in reaction to the unexpected touch. But she'd gotten the answer she needed. "Auggie," she sighed sadly, "you've got a fever."

He shrugged. "I'm fine, Joan."

She crossed her arms, and Auggie could almost feel her disapproving glare. "You've been in this chair for forty-eight hours. Go home. Get some rest. If we hear anything from her, we'll give you a call."

Auggie shook his head no. "The mission's almost over. She should be sending me the information any minute now, and then I can tell her how to get home. I'll sleep when I know she's safe."

"I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?" she asked.

"Nope, sorry."

"Well here," she said, placing a water bottle in his hand. "Drink this, and there's a sandwich to the left of your keyboard along with two aspirin."

Auggie smiled. "Thanks, Joan."

She squeezed his shoulder, hoping to provide a bit of comfort. He wasn't the only one worried. "Let me know when you hear something."

"Will do," he nodded, wincing at his sore and scratchy throat. He quickly took a swig of the water, downing the two aspirin. He heard the door to his office close, and he once again turned his attention to the screens before him, pulling his headphones back on and listening close. "C'mon, sweetheart," he said under his breath, "talk to me."

Three hours later, a bit of static crackled in his ears, and then, "Auggie?"

A wave of relief washed over him. "Annie," he sighed, feeling the weight of the world being lifted off his shoulders. "Talk to me, are you ok?"

"Yeah, fine," she replied, her speech clipped and quick. "Sending you the files now."

"Annie, are you sure everything..."

But he was cut off by the sound of gunfire. "Shit!" she cried, and he could hear glass breaking in the background.

Auggie's heart was beating right out of his chest. "Annie," he called desperately. "Annie, what's going on?"

The only answer he received was more gunfire, closer this time.

"Annie!" Auggie screamed. Her end crackled and went silent. "Damn," he hissed, coughing again. Joan. He had to tell Joan so they could get Annie back. Send a team, do something! Not even bothering with his cane, he jumped up to go find her. Almost immediately, the room began spinning and he felt light-headed. But that didn't matter. Annie. Annie mattered. She need his help. She needed...

He fell to his knees the moment he stepped out of his office. He coughed, his abdominal muscles constricting and his chest aching as he struggled to breathe. As the fit continued, he vaguely heard footsteps rushing toward him. Muscles weak and shaking, he collapsed onto the cold linoleum floor.

**~A/A~**

The next evening, Annie rushed up the stairs, deciding the elevator would have been too slow. Joan hadn't told her about Auggie until she was state-side again. Her boss had just been following protocol, she knew, but she still couldn't believe she'd kept his condition from her. She opened the door and all but fell into the apartment, just as Joan closed the bedroom door behind her and entered the living room.

"Joan, how is he?" she asked anxiously, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Sleeping," she answered, smiling sweetly. In a rather uncharacteristic move, Joan wrapped her arms around Annie in a brief embrace. "We're so glad you're alright."

"Thanks. And thank you for..." she said, trailing off and glancing toward the bedroom.

"Of course," the older woman nodded. Before leaving, she turned back to Annie and said, "Don't worry about coming in tomorrow. Take as much time as the two of you need."

Annie nodded, seeing her out and locking the door behind her. Kicking off her shoes, she made her way back to the bedroom. Opening the door slowly so as not to wake him, she entered, the sound of Auggie's heavy breathing filling the room. Her heart broke when she saw him, beads of sweat glistening on his pale skin. Joan had told her that he never once left his office while she was on her mission. Always looking out for her, never thinking of himself. "Oh Aug," she sighed, brushing his dark curls back away from his face and placing a gentle kiss on his warm forehead. "What am I gonna do with you?"

She watched him sleep for a few minutes more, tenderly running her fingers through his hair, before getting up and turning off the lights. She knew it didn't matter much to him, but it just seemed like the decent thing to do. That, and she was exhausted after her trip. She stole a pair of his pajama pants and a t-shirt before crawling under the thick quilts Joan had covered him with. She snuggled closer to Auggie, laying a hand over his heart and resting her head on his shoulder. Lying next to him, she felt completely at ease for the first time in days. It was amazing, this effect he had on her. So long as he was there, she knew she was safe. Her body curled around his, she fell into a peaceful sleep.

**~A/A~**

Sheets of rain beat down against the large windows, and thunder crashed somewhere in the distance. But that wasn't what woke her up. It was Auggie. His body jerked as harsh coughs ripped through his chest. Heat was rolling off of him in waves. Annie cursed under her breath when she reached out to feel his forehead. His fever was spiking. Untangling herself, she leapt out of bed and headed for the kitchen in search of washcloths and a bowl of ice water. She had to get his fever down. She filled the largest bowl she could find, and swished the washcloth around, the cold water stinging her hand as she did so. It was then she heard it. The most heart wrenching, desperate cry. _ Auggie._

"Annie!" he called frantically, his voice hoarse but it echoed hauntingly throughout the apartment. "Annie!"

Grabbing the bowl, she ran back to the bedroom. Auggie sat straight up in bed. Dark, unseeing eyes darted about the room, and white knuckled fists gripped the quilts that pooled around his waist. "Auggie, it's ok," she softly reassured him, gathering his upper body into her arms and holding him close. "I'm right here. It's ok."

Auggie buried his face in the curve of her neck, breathing in her familiar scent. She could feel his heart racing. Letting go of the quilts, his strong arms wrapped around her waist, clutching her desperately to his chest. Annie had never seen him so broken. She stroked his hair and whispered soothing words to him. He fought to get his frantic breathing under control, coughing into her shoulder. A chill ran down his spine and he shuddered against her. It was then she realized that his thin t-shirt was completely drenched in sweat. Placing a kiss to his temple, she pulled away slightly so she could help him out of it. Difficult as it was, she tried not to get too excited at the sight of his naked chest, helping him instead lie back down. If he had been feeling better, she knew he would be teasing her about the blush he somehow always seemed to notice blooming in her cheeks. She silently scolded herself for the direction of her thoughts and focused on the task at hand. "Auggie," she said, "we need to get your fever down. This is gonna be cold."

He nodded, though she wasn't entirely sure he was fully aware of what was happening. He gasped when the washcloth made contact with his burning skin. "Sorry," she whispered. She gripped his hand for support as she traced the icy cloth over his forehead and down his throat. Rewetting it, she continued across his chest, stomach, and then down each arm. Repeating the pattern for the third time, his eyes drifted closed as he finally began to relax. Half an hour later, she took his temperature. Down to 101.4 degrees Fahrenheit. She cringed to think of what it had been before. Auggie didn't get sick often. In all the years she'd known him, he had maybe gotten a cold twice. When Joan told her he had collapsed outside his office due to a high fever, Annie couldn't reach his side quickly enough. A fear had entered her heart that she would not soon forget. Auggie was... well, he was _hers_. Her Auggie. And she was his Annie. That's how it had been since the day they met, and she knew her life would never be the same if she lost him. He had always been the one to save her when she was in trouble. He was always there when she needed him. She was glad she had a chance to return the favor, and for once, take care of him.

**~A&A~ **

She didn't go back to sleep. She simply couldn't. Annie kept a vigilant watch over Auggie, checking his temperature every hour. When it rose again, she immediately began to cool him with the wash cloth, managing to keep it down until it became relatively stable. When he coughed, she helped him sit up to better draw air, gently urging him to take sips of water to soothe his throat.

When the morning light began to creep into the bedroom, the rain had slowed to a trickle, fat drops pit-pattering against the window. Auggie's eyes fluttered open. He tried to asses his surroundings, but everything was... fuzzy. What time was it? How long had it been since he passed out? And how did he get from Langley to his bedroom?

A hand squeezed his own, and a very familiar voice said, "Well, it's about time you woke up."

Auggie couldn't believe it. "Annie?" he smiled, his voice wavering slightly as a thousand emotions assaulted him at once. "It wasn't a dream? You were here?"

She brought his hand up to her cheek. He could feel her smiling too. "Of course I was."

"Are you alright?" he asked suddenly, his smile fading. "I heard gunshots..."

"I'm fine, Auggie. Really," she promised, knowing he would be able to tell if she were lying. Though he was visibly relieved, she could tell he was waiting for her to explain. "They found me. Broke into the safe house. But our target practice paid off. I took out all three," she told him, and a proud smile played at Auggie's lips. "It took me an extra day to get home though. Joan didn't tell me you were sick until I got back to D.C."

Auggie nodded. "Good."

She shook her head. Auggie only followed protocol when it was convenient, and she knew he wouldn't have wanted her to worry about him. She sighed and kissed his hand, shifting to hold it in both hers. "You really scared me, Aug."

He smiled sadly. "Now you know how I feel every damn time you go on another mission."

"I always come back though, don't I?"

"Yes, thank God," he chuckled. Moving his hand slightly, he traced over her fingers until he felt the delicate band and diamond that adorned her left hand. "Welcome home, Mrs. Anderson."

"It's good to be home," she whispered, leaning over to place a tender kiss on her husband's lips for the first time in nearly a week. "I love you."

Auggie reached up and brushed her cheek, hand continuing back to tangle his fingers in her hair, pulling her in for another kiss. He smiled against her lips. "And I love you."


End file.
